mid-day impact: Repair work on Dindoshi flyover to start soon

Traffic department to greenlight MSRDC for repair work, with one lane open; mid-day had published a report on how the impasse between the two was delaying repair work on the cracked bridge

You can breathe easy. The Traffic department has finally decided to permit the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to carry out repair work on the Dindoshi flyover that has developed cracks underneath it.

Repair work on the cracked flyover had been delayed due to inaction on the part of MSRDC and Traffic department authorities. Pic/Satyajit Desai

A report by IIT-Bombay experts had found that cracks had appeared on nine slabs, and that they needed urgent repairs. The Traffic department has permitted repair work, keeping one lane of the bridge open for vehicles.

mid-day’s front-page report on Tuesday

B K Upadhyay, joint commissioner of police, Traffic, said, “We have taken the issue seriously and I’ve asked a deputy commissioner of police to write a letter to MSRDC. The work can be done before monsoons now, as the Board exams are over.”

mid-day had reported on Tuesday, how the back-and-forth between the two bodies was endangering the lives of the 50,000 motorists who travelled by the flyover to south Mumbai. One of the reasons the department was reluctant to give permission, was the ongoing school and college board exams.

Pratap Dighavkar, deputy commissioner of police (Traffic), said he met MSRDC officials to discuss how the traffic should be managed. “We had a meeting and discussed how to divert traffic using the service road, to avoid inconvenience and jams. We will send an official letter soon,” said Dighavkar.

Better late than neverThe MSRDC had first written to the traffic police on February 4, asking for permission to carry out the repairs between February 14-May 15. However, the Traffic department were concerned about the consequent problems – the bridge had gone under repair in October for 21 days, leading to huge traffic jams. The R11.5-crore Dindoshi flyover was constructed 13 years ago during the tenure of the Shiv Sena- BJP government.

MSRDC speaksHowever, MSRDC’s joint managing director, S Ramchandani wasn’t aware about the development. “The meeting with the Traffic department was attended by our chief engineer. I can only say that the repair work can’t begin unless traffic is completely stopped on the southbound carriageway.”

Rs 11.5 croreCost of construction of Dindoshi flyover

Rs 56 lakhApproximate cost of repairing the Dindoshi flyover now

>> However, MSRDC official says the bridge needs to be shut >> Both departments meet to discuss how to manage traffic >> The structure poses a danger to 50,000 motorists every day